In the second of a two-part special, Ricky Hatton talks about the difficult relationship with his parents and how he ended up fighting with his dad in a car park.

Ricky Hatton has lifted the lid on the feud that has torn his family apart.

The former two-weight boxing world champion reveals the true extent of the rift with his father and former business manager Ray in his autobiography, released today.

In ‘War and Peace: My Story’ the Hitman opens up about the highs and lows of an incredible career that saw him become a sporting icon, but also left him battling with drink, drugs and depression.

But as well as recounting his classic fights with Kostya Tszyu and Floyd Mayweather Jr, the 35-year-old from Hyde also describes an ugly confrontation with his father, just a day before he was due to announce his much-anticipated return to the ring last year.

Hatton had already become estranged from his parents following a fall-out with Ray over money.

He says he still allowed them access to his new-born daughter Millie, but was upset when she and his partner Jennifer had not been invited to a family party on Christmas day.

He explains how he received a solicitor’s letter months later informing him that Ray and Carol wanted to see their granddaughter.

“I replied to my parents, through solicitors, and said we did not want them to have contact with Millie,” he said.

“We have never stopped them seeing her, as far as I was concerned they had just not been ******. I know that sounds harsh and I am sure they see it differently, but it is how I feel.

“Despite the issues between us, Jennifer had made the attempt to keep them involved. It was all such a mess.

“The letters went back and forth and I put a few home truths in them.

“It was bitter and horrible, as things often are when you get solicitors involved. I did not want any of it, but did feel the need to defend myself.”

If Hatton thought that was unpleasant, it was about to get much worse.

He pulled into the car park of his gym in September last year, just 24 hours before he was set to confirm that he would fight again for the first time since his brutal defeat to Manny Pacquiao in 2009.

“I was faced with convincing the world that not only was my return to the ring, at the age of 33, a good idea and that my mind was fully on the job at hand, but I had to hide the fact that I was in turmoil over everything that was happening with my family,” he said.

As Hatton got his kitbag from the boot of his car he heard another vehicle pull into the car park.

“It brakes sharply and comes to a stop behind my car, trapping me in,” he said. “It’s dad. Before I know it he’s storming round the front of his car and shouting at me.

“‘All that stuff you’ve written about your mum in that solicitor’s letter is ******* disgrace!’ he yells.

“I’m unprepared, but manage to fire back: ‘You tell me what part of it is a lie, then?’

“I carry on taking my gym bag out of the boot and hold it by the handles in my right hand. Dad is still fuming and we exchange a few words. He is angry furious – but I stand my ground.

“Then he swings at me. He punches me in the face, catching me on the cheek. Dad, do not do that again,’ I ask, although I can see he is still fired up. “He’s enraged so I hold him up against my car, hoping the storm blows itself out, but when I let him go he comes at me and cracks me in the face again.

“‘Dad this is your last warning.’ I can see he will not listen and that nothing I can say will stop him – he swings a leg at me, trying to kick me.

“That’s it. It has to stop.

“I block it and crack him with my left hand, causing him to fall against his car. Seconds pass, but groggily he comes defiantly back at me.

“‘Do it again. Do it again!’ he shouts.

“‘Go away,’ I reply, forcefully.

“Finally, he scurries back around the car and speeds off. The whole thing lasts barely a minute.

“I’m shaken up. I’m in bits, actually.

“I think to myself how I’d just had to crack my dad because he’d attacked me – there is no pride attached to it.”

“If he’d attacked Matthew I would have gone straight over there. Matthew was closer to me than anyone.

“It was a horrible position for him to be in, I know that, and I would never ask him to choose between me and my dad and my mum, but I feel I’ve not needed to, as his actions have been clear.”

On the financial dispute with his dad, Hatton adds: “It’s the thing no-one wants to fall out about. I am not going to go into details because the two people who matter – me and him – know exactly what happened and why it is an issue.

“We had a confrontation and whatever the rights and wrongs, I said I needed him to do certain things that I thought were fair or lose me.

“Whatever his reasons he chose his path and he has to live by his choices, as do I and my family.”

Ray and Carol revealed their heartache over their split with Ricky last week. In his book, Hatton reveals his pain too.

“We had always been one and the same, a family unit,” he said. “There had been the TV show, portraying us all as one small happy family and Matthew, my mum and my dad were a big part of everything I’d done.

“Family had always meant the world to me.

“Then, when the difficulties with dad came along it seemed almost everyone took his side.

“I can’t do any more than I have done, but it’s the split with my family that’s eaten away at me the most.”

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